Mission & History

“Our mission is to be a world-class, student-centered, language institution.”

What do we mean by that?

World-class means…
• We are a leading global destination for language learning, with 30 years’ experience in Washington DC.
• inlingua® Washington DC remains on the cutting edge of language acquisition; we are committed to the review of emerging industry best practices and academic research, and where appropriate, incorporating them.
• Through hiring standards and rigorous reviews, we attract, retain and develop highly qualified faculty and staff.
• We are the largest exam center in the United States for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – the most recognized and accepted English language test in the world. We also host tests for TOEFL and other internationally recognized academic and professional language exams.

• Activities: We maximize the student experience through a combination of career-oriented and social experiences, providing deep immersion and intercultural fluency.

• Recruitment: We establish, maintain, and develop a global presence. Students know that training at inlingua® will equip them to advance in their academic and professional pursuits.

Language institution means…
• We focus on academic and professional language training, test preparation, and test administration.
• We are fully accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA) and authorized under Federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students.
We offer teacher training certificates as well as recurring in-house professional development.
• We are committed to inter-institutional partnerships.

A Brief History of inlingua Washington DC

inlingua® Washington DC was established in 1986, joining the world’s largest association of independent language schools, inlingua® International, which was founded in 1968 in Switzerland.

inlingua® has over 350 language schools around the world.

inlingua® was formed in Bern, Switzerland in 1968 in the context of Europe’s need to learn each other’s languages quickly for professional, business, and academic purposes, bringing the famous Swiss/German efficiency and engineering mindset to the development of a more effective training approach. Deeply committed to the direct and communicative methods of language training, inlingua® developed a unique, proven, and highly-effective approach, known simply as the inlingua® Method. This network rapidly grew to become the largest network of independently owned and operated language schools in the world, united by a commitment to high quality ideals and uniform training principles

Today there are approximately 350 inlingua® schools in 44 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America who have trained millions of private clients, corporate and government officials, travelers, and students with the most advanced language training method available anywhere. inlingua Washington® DC joined this global network in 1986 and is accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA), upholding CEA Standards for English Language Programs and Institutions. CEA is recognized by the US Secretary of Education as a national accrediting agency for English language programs and institutions in the US. We are also a member of English USA.

Over the past 30 years, our school has reached into every corner of the world through student referrals and our extensive agent network, drawing students from over 80 countries. With a convenient urban location near the heart of Washington DC, small class sizes, open enrollment, and excellent accommodation options, we have consistently drawn students from all walks of life, with very diverse language learning goals. We offer general group English classes at all levels, from beginner to advanced, as well as a wide range of foreign language classes for personal or professional purposes. In addition to our regular English and foreign language courses, inlingua Washington DC is an official TOEFL Test Center for the iBT TOEFL, as well as the only IELTS Test Center in the region. In fact, we are the largest IELTS Testing Center in the US. Moreover, we offer test preparation courses for these and other language exams.

We welcome you to join our ongoing story as we strive to help students and professionals here in Washington DC and around the world develop deeper fluency faster with the inlingua® Method!